(NAPSI) — Whether eaten by the handful or straight out of the jar, peanuts and peanut butter are beloved all-American foods. But peanuts and peanut butter also can be useful ingredients in the kitchen, especially thanks to their versatile sauce-making capabilities.

Chef Mai Pham, owner of the nationally acclaimed Lemon Grass Restaurant in Sacramento, California, uses peanuts extensively in her kitchen to add robust flavors to her traditional Southeast-Asian recipes. Her signature Thai peanut sauce (a standard in just about any Thai-type joint) can be used as a marinade for grilled meats, a dipping sauce for vegetables as well as a filling in wraps. The savory sauce can even be tossed with salad greens or noodles to create refreshingly exotic yet deliciously familiar tastes and textures to everyday dishes.

The National Peanut Board and America’s peanut farmers invite you to take a refreshing dip or just get saucy with Chef Pham’s Simple Thai Peanut Sauce. Of course, enjoy this exotic condiment in moderation, as it’s loaded with fat and calories.

Makes about 1 cup

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1/2 teaspoon minced garlic

1/2 teaspoon minced shallots

1/2 teaspoon cayenne powder

1/2 teaspoon curry powder or to taste

1 tablespoon soy sauce

2/3 cup milk

1/4 cup water

1 tablespoon sugar

1/4 cup creamy peanut butter

1/4 teaspoon lime juice

Heat the oil in a saucepan over low heat. Add the garlic, shallots, cayenne powder and curry powder. (Do not allow the spices to burn.) Stir for 5 seconds until fragrant, then add the soy sauce, milk, water, sugar and peanut butter. While stirring occasionally, simmer for about 5 minutes. Add the lime juice and remove from heat. Check for a nice balance of salty, sweet, sour and spicy flavors. Serve immediately.

Serves 8

Per 2 tablespoon serving: 83 calories, 6g fat (1g sat., 3g mono.), 2mg cholesterol., 165mg sodium, 5g carb., .6g fiber, 3g protein.

For more recipes, visit Google and type in a search for the National Peanut Board’s website.